Apparatus for running tools suspended from a wireline into and out of hydrocarbon producing wells under high pressure is known to those skilled in the art, as evidenced by the patents to Attison et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,995; Gentry U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,907; Marshal U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,581; Ingram, Jr. et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,943,082; and Basham et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,070. It is known to wash tubular goods going into and coming out of a borehole as shown by Reynolds U.S. Pat. No. 1,521,390. Ford et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,609 cleans and inhibits sucker rod against corrosion as the rod string is being withdrawn from the borehole. Reference is made to the above prior art for further background of the present invention, a comprehension of which is necessary in order to fully appreciate this disclosure.
A wireline is introduced into a borehole in order to run a tool string downhole, and it is often desirable to communicate the tool string with above surface equipment. The wireline often comprises a multi-stranded metallic member about the diameter of a pencil, and it is desirable to maintain a single length of wire wherever possible because of the complexities involved in introducing and retrieving the wireline from the borehole. The borehole usually is under great pressure and for this reason, it is advantageous to clean and inhibit the wireline as it is initially forced into the borehole under pressure; and thereafter to again clean and again inhibit the wireline as it is retrieved from the borehole. The process of cleaning and treating the wireline with a chemical inhibitor impregnates the wireline with the inhibitor, or treatment chemical, and elongates the expected life of the wireline. Method and apparatus for achieving the above desirable goals is the subject of the present invention.